eastbound | un: ut malum pluvia

[ Five is walking out of the lighthouse as he addresses the network, since it's generally quieter where ghosts aren't constantly interrupting his thoughts. The beauty of this form of communication is it's not entirely unlike talking to himself, which is really his preference. ]

Okay, listen up. Since we're all sharing, let's see if we can't come up with an actual plan, before we experience the next shift and you all inconveniently forget who you are again.

[ To say nothing of a haunting that has already sent him into a panic attack or how he nearly drowned just to see for himself what he'd already heard second-hand. Nothing but success for Five Hargreeves. ]

Two orders of business. One, Miang-Si is obviously a catalyst, if not the cause of what's happening here. I searched her room one of the nights she was out galavanting with her lake friends. There was correspondence that suggested she was enamored with someone, who I now assume was the Huntress. I also found evidence that the woman in white, and another in red, visited her there. The witches she's involved with also may have dragged in women doing laundry nearby into their lake at some point, judging by what was found with the skeletons at the bottom.

Secondly, these hauntings aren't just some curse. If they are spirits, we need to figure out a way to trap them. There's a woman in white, a man in black, a lumberjack, and another woman in red. Who else has been seen and how often? If we can capture one of them, maybe we can get some answers before whatever triggered this starts again.

[ He has no doubt it'll happen at the worst possible moment.

Just as he's about to continue with his all-important conspiracy theories, he's approached by a young girl with a silver coin in hand. Distantly she can be heard saying she's worried about her family, and asks him to take a donation for Kathoo'lul's blessing. Dumbfounded, he takes it and promptly loses his train of thought as she scurries away. ]

...Amazing how easy it is to start a cult around here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ If it makes her feel better, he's not asking out of concern for her. He genuinely thinks he's onto something. ]

And it's always the same. [ Not a question. ] It almost makes sense that he's digging up the past, if they're tied to the time fluctuations. One could be fueling the other.

Yes.

Then I assume someone's dredging up your past, as well.

( It isn't exactly a question, and fair is fair. )

If one is fuelling the other, and I'm not agreeing they are, why only the past? Only going backward in time isn't practical, especially if you're devolving as you go.

( Not that hopping back and forth at random is any better, but she at least understands that to a degree. )

[ ...Five would really rather not talk about anything he's seen or devolving through time, so he's careful as he navigates this conversation. ]

It could be a way to manipulate us. We're a variable that didn't exist before, so if they are trying to change time, they might see an opportunity.

There seems to be no shortage of ways for them to manipulate us.

( She's still a little sore over the temporary brainwashing by Rathakku, ever aware that she's apparently especially susceptible here. It cuts too close to home, to the past she wishes she could leave behind her. )

An opportunity to what, sweetie?

( She isn't trying to be difficult - for once - but even as a time traveller she struggles to see the benefit in a city that only goes backward, taking its people along with it. The only possible outcome is an empty swatch of land where the village used to be and no people left to manipulate at all. )

[ He snorts at that. The spirits, the Merchant, politicians and the undead... all of them want something from them and they've always just gone along with it. ]

It's easy to see that what happened here was a mistake. I'd guess they're trying to get us to clean up the mess they made.

I guess that's one theory.

( She doesn't bother to ask who 'they' might be. It could be anyone. And she isn't sure it matters. )

Well, I can't say their...attention has made me any more inclined. Has it you? Why doesn't anyone just ask for help?

( Says the woman far too proud and stubbornly independent to ask for help when she actually needs it. )

To be fair, that is what I was doing.

[ He can do a lot on his own, but capturing spirits isn't his lane. ]

Right. It wasn't you I was referring to, sweetie. Rather our mysterious 'they' whoever they might be.

( But there is the faintest hint of amusement. )

I prefer asking to coercing. It's more polite! And much more likely to get me to do what they want.

( For future reference. )

In any case, magic and spirits aren't my area, and I'm still not convinced of the wisdom of it, but it's always easy to tell when he's coming and he follows me until he gets near enough to hand me his paper.

[ He takes that as her way of getting out of any culpability if it doesn't work. Which wouldn't be a first for him, but doing nothing isn't an option. ]

Predictable enough that we should have plenty of chances. It's just a matter of finding the right cage.

( He wouldn't be entirely wrong. )

I'll leave that to you.

You're welcome to pay a visit any evening. He shows up most of them. I always hear him before I see him, and he doesn't seem to care who else is around.

[ Klaus could do it, if he were here. Maybe. He’s at least halfway sure he could convince him to try. ]

And no one asks why.

Most people mind their own business.

( But again, there's no real irritation. )

Tell me, sweetie, if you manage to trap one of these...figures, what are you going to ask?

[ Five isn't most people. It's against his nature to let things go. ]

I want to know how they're doing this.

un: ut malum pluvia | audio

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject